Silence!

After storm No. 3 (Yagi), heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the northern provinces. Meanwhile, contacting acquaintances by phone or via social networks in damaged areas in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong was very difficult. Power outages, means of communication running out of batteries, and some places with no internet connection… This was considered an “information lull” that caused much anxiety, just like the lull before the storm.

The storm has severely damaged the system of houses, trees, especially the power grid and information system in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong. In many other areas in Hanoi, constructions and trees were lying around, it took a whole week to clean up. Many people used the words "bombardment" and "desolation" to describe the devastation of storm No. 3. And there was another "silence", which was the rain circulating after the storm causing floods, landslides, severely affecting the lives of people in many northern provinces.

Statistics as of 2:00 p.m. on September 10, 3 days after storm No. 3, showed that 146 people had died or gone missing and hundreds had been injured. Meanwhile, floodwaters caused by rains circulating after the storm were causing severe damage in many localities. The damage to property, infrastructure, trees, etc. was so great that it was impossible to fully count them.

It takes us a month or more to overcome the consequences. If the calm before the storm causes people to worry, the "calm" after the storm costs a lot of effort, money, and time of all levels, sectors, and people in the damaged areas. But there is another "calm" that is worth sharing and accompanying, which is the silence of each cadre, functional force, and each person in the areas devastated by storms and floods. After the storm, each person has a job, stands up, joins hands to clean up, rearrange, and overcome the consequences to soon stabilize life.

There will still be many difficulties for the government, forces and people in the areas affected by natural disasters. However, many delegations of officials and people from peaceful areas have come to support the government and functional forces to help people in localities severely affected by storm No. 3. Those who could not go directly to the damaged areas have contributed money and necessities to help people in dire straits caused by natural disasters. All of this has dispelled the "silence" after the storm.

For Nghe An, a locality that is affected and damaged by natural disasters almost every year, although weather forecasting and warnings by authorities and government are getting better and better, natural disasters are unpredictable, it is like the scary calm before each storm. Therefore, after each damage, the most important thing is solidarity and sharing to quickly overcome and continue life.